Monday, 12 March 2012

Jumbles, and muddles, and frocks, oh my!

The jumble sale I went to on Saturday morning was an odd affair.

I have to say it was a very poor effort - inconsistent pricing, not much stuff, but the advantage was that it had been so badly advertised, there weren't many people there, and most of those who were, I knew, which made for a sociable time of it! See, I looked for the silver lining and there it was.

That rather set the tone for the day in terms of bargain-hunting. I had confidently predicted we would come home from our charity shopping trip with bags a-bulging... But I only bought a pair of shoes, and Patsy just one pair of trousers. Oh well, sometimes that's just how it goes.

The scarves in the photo below were jumble finds, the only vintage clothing items there.

Office red leather 40s-style shoes, hardly worn, for £7 in Oxfam. Funnily enough, I bumped into the friend who had had her colours done and now refuses to wear anything which isn't in the Autumn (or is it Spring? I forget. Because I don't care) colour palette. She said these shoes are hideous.

She wears Per Una. I need say no more (at least for UK residents and shoppers. For my lovely international beauties, how to describe the Per Una range at Marks and Spencers? Lots of knitwear, lots of pastels/"soft" shades, lots of floaty-flowiness, corduroy, embellishment - in short, what my mum would think was "fashionable". But she's 86... Ooh, I'm being a real bitch! It may have improved, I haven't been in an M&S for ages.)

Anyway, I bought the hideous shoes for my hideous trotters, OK?

Patsy and I having coffee. She bought her zebra sweater when we went to London.

After an afternoon of charity shops, the kids needed a brief let-off-steam session in the Botanical Gardens before tea.

Poses copied from our girls...

Then on to Zeugma's Turkish restaurant.

If you are wondering who that pale and ghostly figure is on the right, it's the seldom-seen Boy Child. He was winkled out from his all-but-permanent attachment to the XBox for the occasion. It's a miracle.

Note Eldest LB taking the piss out of me.

Speaking of which, I feel I should just clarify that expression, mainly for my American readers. Taking the piss is entirely different from taking/having a piss. I laughed until I nearly did the latter at Terri's comment on my last post. I think she was worried that I would be wantonly urinating in my lovely frock. No no! To take the piss means to joke, tease or mock. Among friends, it's a harmless, amusing activity, though it can have a harder edge, meaning to criticise, fool, or deliberately try to undermine or ridicule.

Patsy and I have a relationship which is sturdy and longstanding enough to withstand much piss-taking. I have never taken a piss with her, near her, or on her. For which we can all be very grateful.

Having sorted out that linguistic muddle, let me show you a new frock.

Your thoughts, ladies? I do love it, but I'm just not sure it's me.

Orange? Yes. With green? Yes. 3/4 sleeves? Yes. Square neckline. Yes yes yes. So is it the embroidery that's too girly, or the scalloped hem, or the flowers, or what? Is it.... a bit Per Una? Nooooooooooooooo!

But help me - what can I do to de-girlify this dress? Wear boots? Or is it just not me? And yes, I know it's weird that I am asking a group of women who have never met me to tell me whether something is me or not. But I trust your judgements, and you've seen my style, so I'm interested to hear your thoughts.

I look forward to hearing from you. Just don't take the piss, alright?
xxxxxx

32 comments:

Those red shoes are adorable! Great find. Taking the piss is like taking the mickey, right? My British boyfriend is always educating me on the quaint slang on your island. And I get to teach him Americanisms. I agree that the dress would look better butched up with knee-high boots and maybe a darker belt. But the color and style certainly suit you. And I'm always a sucker for embroidery.

Love the red shoes! Glad you at least scored something. I like the frock but I would like it better with boots too. Looks a bit twee (is that the right word?) with heels somehow. Maybe a tan belt & boots would dress it down a bit? But you can certainly pull off the frock as usual! Xx

I won't piss on you but I will take the piss... I live in the Colonies so I kind of get all that.

First, the shoes, the most divine shoes in the world!! In fact, I would wear them with this girly dress, with red tights or, better yet, very green tights with a big dark scarf and a dark belt. Too weird?

I think you look marvellous and I hope you can make friends with this piece, but if you can't...upwards and onwards!

Per Una (pronounced "Proona" in these parts, has taken over the charity shops. If that's not an indication of it's hideousness, I don't know what is. It brings to mind a teacher I used to work with, Sue. Sue wore clothes from the Kaleidoscope catalogue and collected Unicorns. At weekends she wore jump suits with lace and gold embroidery embellishnents, paid a fortune for them! Red shoes - top marks, always a winner for me.Girly dress - black won't do it any favours, in my opinion. I would try and Vix it up with suede (maybe a jerkin) and boho/tribal accessories. It'll work a treat in the warmer weather with tan sandals.I'd take a piss over your friend who had her colours done's shoes. Cheeky cow!

Those shoes are gorgeous! What kind of a crazy person gives those away? You'd have thought the ruffle and ditsy lining would appeal to a Per Una loving bird, wouldn't you?The colour and embroidery on the dress are lovely but I do think it needs to be toughened up.Battered tan leather boots, a suede or denim waistcoat, a tooled leather belt and a slouchy knitted beret are my suggestion, exactly like Lucy says.Nice to see Boy-child! xxxxxxxxxx

those shoes are wonderful, I live in Italy and sometimes I find Office brand shoes on the market stalls for 20 euros, I have to say most of their models are really lovely..now the new frock is lovely, only I don't think it matches well with T bar shoes and black thights, I'd choose a different color gree, brown, suede, peach shades, Vix's fantastic green suede boots would be perfect!!!

Well all i can say is your marks and spencers friend has no taste or style. Those shoes are gorgeous and im sooo glad you got them ;-) I love the first photo of you and Patsy its so sweet. I know what you mean about the xbox and getting them off it its the same with my little man. I think your dress is gorgeous but if it was me i would wear flesh coloured tights with it and maybe boots or green shoes and green cardigan and your denim jacket ;-) I think its lovely and does look gorgeous on you. dee xxx

I think those shoes are adorable, and if they had been my size, I would have snatched them up, so Pfffttt to your "colour-organized" acquaintance! I love that first photo of you and Patsy, you look relaxed and happy. Vix is right, the peach dress needs to be "un-girlified". I like it with the denim jacket; maybe some boots, suede vest??

I love your sweet new red shoes! The bows on front are perfection! You and Patsy look like such good friends and I love seeing you out with the kids, OMG you do have a boy :)

Taking the piss, I like your use of the term better, we have a funny one called shooting the shit which means talking I always thought that one was weird.

I love this dress! The shape fits you perfect. I think what might be missing is that it looks like a summer dress that would look best with no tights and maybe a little cardigan. BUT if doesn't make you feel fab that all that matters. I love it on you though!

I must have terrible taste in shoes too as I really like them and a steal at £7!The second dress is very pretty. I'd probably add a belt and some leather to tone down the girliness if you think it's a bit much x

Sorry your day wasn't more fruitful, it sounded SO promising too. Splendid shoes, your friend doesn't know what she's talking about and I agree about Per Una, so safe and mumsy (like I'm so radical, NOT) Think your dress looks better with denim jacket and therefore would probably improve with brown leather boots and belt. I love a square neckline. Smashing to see LB's and btw have decided to hang on to the tartan....for now. xxxx

Hahaha,we use the "taking the piss"here,too!Bloody brillant explanation,I see Terri is all sorted now!LOVE those red shoes!Jealous!I have a thing for red shoes....I love the frock,it's super pretty,and I think Lucewoman and Vix are on the money re dressing it up.And if you still don't feel fabulous in it,well,you know the rule!The posing is splendid,the girls are teaching you well! Rarely seen son doesn't look like he sees much sun!!! How kind of him to make an appearance! How was the turkish restaurant? The only one here in Christchurch is bollocks!But you're not!Love and red shoe bliss!XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

for a girly dress my fall back position is always chunky boots....high or low....something a bit bikerish?? St. John's Wood Oxfam came up trumps with a long, crew-neck, black cashmere Pure sweater and a black, Karen Miller zippy biker-style jacket...... hoorah!!

lusting over red shoes amor! I love red anything.I think I would wear a puffy petticoat and accessorize galore...like a ballerina. luckyly I knew most English saying before I came to live here. love using the term "tits up" and "big girls blouse" which I changed to "Big vieja's blusa"besos

It just takes one word to make all the difference doesn't it? Taking THE piss. Not: Taking A piss. Two very different things. Mind you, I have been known to take THE piss by taking A piss in the park with my mates on the way home from a girly tits up! (I love "tits up" too La Dama!). The Phoenix has introduced me to a plethora of wonderful Yorkshire idioms and insults, which have the kids and I in stitches (he saves the wonderful smutty ones just for me ... that's love). I fucking love your hideous shoes and if you have UK size 8 fucking huge pig's trotters like me and they suddenly give you the screaming shits, I will gladly help you off load such hideous items. Gawd I really love you in your new frock ... I think you have successfully de-girlified this treasure and needs no more work in that area. Just ROCK IT!!!! xoxoxoxoxo